Bridge Initiative Co-founder Tracy Liz Miller Departs

The Bridge Initiative: Women in Theatre announces the departure of co-founder and co-producing artistic director Tracy Liz Miller who will be relocating with her family to New York State this summer. Brenda Jean Foley will assume sole responsibility as artistic director of the three-year-old organization which has recently been named a resident company at Tempe Center for the Arts.

Miller's partner and fiancé, Kent Burnham, has accepted a teaching position in the Hudson Valley, precipitating the relocation. "I am so very proud of all that Brenda and I have accomplished," says Miller. "The Phoenix Valley landscape has changed significantly and, although we cannot take all the credit as we've had so many willing and supportive advocates and partners join us, I can't help but think that if we hadn't stuck our noses into the scene armed with data, a mission and a vision... the professional theatre landscape would not look as it does now in terms of representation and motivation." Miller's accomplishments in the Phoenix area cannot be overstated, including her work as chair of Chandler-Gilbert's theatre department where she has expanded their offerings exponentially, as well as her role as guest director with Southwest Shakespeare Company, Stray Cat Theatre, ASU and others.

Foley wishes to emphasize The Bridge Initiative's future is dynamic. Foley will lead the organization by "insisting on quality, integrity, professionalism, intersectionality, and telling women's stories that make us laugh, cry, scream in frustration, gasp in horror, applaud and rejoice... We are raising awareness and asking questions and sparking conversation. And our work continues full throttle."

The Bridge Initiative has announced a full production run of The Revolutionists by Lauren Gunderson,in December 2018, co-produced with Tempe Center for the Arts. Other programming, including the resumption of monthly Her Voice reading series, will be announced in the coming months.

The Bridge Initiative is an Arizona nonprofit working to identify and empower female artists in the Southwest region, with the aim of gender parity across all theatrical disciplines.